


natura nihil frustra facit

by fancyachatup



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Future Fic, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, POV Magnus Bane, POV Max, Parents Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Time Travel, Time Travel Without Consequences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 16:53:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12730548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fancyachatup/pseuds/fancyachatup
Summary: Max & Rafe accidentally travel back in time and meet their dads.1/14/18: Final chapter added!





	1. malec in the past

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starsscollide](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starsscollide/gifts).



> * title is latin for "nature does nothing in vain"
> 
> * lots of inaccurate facts about time travel & portals
> 
> * emotional af but in the best way possible
> 
> * written for the 'malec hiatus fic exchange of 2017' for starsscollide
> 
> (It was v fun to write this little drabble, I hope you like it!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ATTENTION: This time travel plot is based off of the “Time Travel Without Consequences Theory” 
> 
> If ya wanna read more about it, here’s some fun little links: 
> 
> https://www.tor.com/2013/11/06/story-worlds-time-travel-part-1/
> 
> http://discovermagazine.com/2010/mar/02-the-real-rules-for-time-travelers

At this particular moment in time, Magnus was regretting his life’s choices. Well, not all of them. Just the one earlier this month, where he and Alec were laying in bed in a beautiful afterglow when a groundbreaking idea came to light. The kind that had the potential to finally level the playing field between the Downworlders and the Nephilim.

Alec had brought up the idea of a Cabinet for the Shadow World, and at first Magnus was doubtful, worried that it would end up in tatters like the previous Downworlder one, but the more Alec explained it, the more Magnus was on board with the idea (when was he not, honestly? But this...this time it was different.) It would essentially serve as a system of checks and balances for Nephilim, Werewolves, Warlocks, and Vampires alike, with no superior race or species. Magnus likened to it to the Mundane’s government if it were actually successfully. After a long yet productive three hours of working out the basic logistics, the two had formulated the greatest idea of the 21st century.

They’d called the leaders for each species, asking them to bring one or two trusted advisors to at least hear them out. The beta plan was at first met with weariness and hesitation (all of which Alec and Magnus anticipated and understood) but a few subsequent meetings later, everyone was devoting a tremendous amount of time and energy in order for it to succeed.

That was six months ago, and now that they were in the swing of things, Magnus felt he slightly underestimated just how time consuming it could prove to be. In theory, it was a perfect governing system, or as close to perfect as something like this could. Even while Magnus was bored out of his mind, he had to admit that this was the most progressive he had ever seen the Shadow World. That being said, this was also perhaps the dullest meeting he had ever been to, and he knew he wasn’t the only one that felt this way. Taking place on neutral ground in an underground, secure location minutes from the Institute, their latest Cabinet meeting was proving to be trying. Occasionally Luke would close his eyes for longer than the amount of time appropriate for a blink, and every few moments Raphael would sigh even louder than normal (despite not needing air at all.)

Suffice to say that while progress was certainly being made between the Nephilim and the Downworlders, it was still not a glamorous process. Even Alec looked exhausted as they all listened to a guilty nomadic vampire incessantly plea innocent from having killed several Mundanes in front of witnesses.

“Enough,” Raphael declared, interrupting the young man, “The Nephilim, though it pains me to admit it, have done no wrong in having you sentenced you to an eternity in the the City of Bones.” He snapped his fingers and immediately a few members of his clan took hold of the Night Child, shackling him as they prepared for his departure. Magnus breathed out a sigh of relief—which was unsurprisingly echoed by both Simon and Jace—and watched as the nonessential personal exited the room, leaving behind the representatives and their seconds.

“Are we free to go now?” Maia asked sarcastically, rising form her seat and pulling on her leather jacket, Luke following suit. After shaking hands with other representatives, the Moon Children were gone. Magnus found himself wishing he was also leaving immediately, but stays seated, knowing Alexander will no doubt be the last to leave. He took misconduct acquisitions against Nephilim incredibly seriously, one of the many, many things Magnus loved about him.

“That was excruciating and entirely unnecessary,” Simon whined as he and Raphael practically fled the room, the elder Vampire merely rolling his eyes as he bid the rest of them farewell.

“You know, I never thought I would say something like this,” Jace mumbled after the Children of the Night and Moon have departed, “but Simon is right. I mean, our people were totally in the clear on this case. It’s ridiculous that that asshole was able to file enough paper work to appeal a retrial. We need someone that can veto requests like that and only allow legitimate requests through.”

Magnus hummed softly, agreeing wholeheartedly but knowing that if he voiced his thoughts out loud that Jace would never let him hear the end of it. Meanwhile, Alec just groaned at Jace’s assessment, slowly standing up from his seat, back popping. “We do, but that raises additional problems that we have no solutions for.”

“Like what?” Jace inquired, causing Magnus to huff.

Honestly, this was just dragging the whole experience out more. If it were up to him, he and Alec would have been back at the loft the instant Raphael opened his mouth, happily cuddling up on the couch and catching up on the most recent episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians (something Alec would pretend to hate as much as this meeting.) Oblivious to Magnus’ feelings, Alec plowed on with his answer, gathering various files full of the paperwork and signatures that will need to be processed and reviewed by Lily Chen and Isabelle later this evening.

“Things like who gets to override requests for trials and whether or not that person could be perceived as biased. And, if they are, does that mean-"

“Woah!” Jace interrupts, holding his hands up in a semblance of surrender, “I get it! I get it! Easier said than done.”

“Understatement of the century,” Magnus grumbled, walking over and resting a hand on Alec’s lower back. Alec nodded, stifling a yawn, and Magnus takes that as his cue to open a Portal home. With one swift motion, Magnus and Alec’s equivalent to a ride home is ready to go.

Except, something was off.

Magnus could feel it thrumming in his body, and he knew Alec and Jace had noticed it as they readied their weapons. Alec pulled out his bow, aiming for the Portal, and Jace was flanking him, Seraph Blade in hand while Magnus tried to run an analysis on the now suspiciously luminous Portal in front of them.

“I don’t understand,” Magnus says lowly, “Everything feels normal, but there’s an accompanying force that’s never been quite this strong before. It’s as though my magic has been amplified and is trying to fold in on itself.” He exchanges a worried glance with Alec, who nods, knowing better than to ask questions when Magnus does not have any answers.

Jace, however, blatantly ignores that unwritten rule, instead settling to ask yet another incredibly unimportant question.

“So, what? You accidentally created a black hole?” He looks bewildered, and Magnus doesn’t blame him. The notion is certainly groundbreaking, and if it didn’t mean certain death for the three of them, Magnus would’ve been delighted to witness a black hole. But, just as Magnus opens his mouth to explain that he has had experience with black holes (meaning he has old and educated enough to know that this is most certainly not a black hole. Because they don’t exist, thank you very much) two figures come stumbling out of the Portal, instantly garnering Jace’s attention and causing Alec to hurriedly notch back an arrow. Magnus closes the Portal immediately, wanting all of his attention and magic to go toward the newcomers.

For a moment no one speaks, eyeing each other up through the odd fog created by their entrance. That silence is interrupted, however, by one of the intruders, his skin a brilliant blue with horns peaking through his curly hair. Magnus belatedly realizes that he is a Warlock, relatively close to maturity, but still fairly young, and that he is standing beside a boy covered in runes who appears to be only a few years younger than Alec and Jace.

“By the Angel! We are so fucking grounded if we ever make it back home.” The other Warlock curses, only for the older boy to slap him on the back of his head, (not so) quietly urging for him to shut up.

“Who are you and how did you access this location?” Alec asks, bow and arrow still trained on the two figures a little over 10 feet away from them.  
The older boy blanches as the air finally clears. He whips his head to turn and look at his blue friend, who is also shocked as he takes in Alec’s appearance. “Shit, is that Dad?”

Alec’s grip falters, dropping his arrow slightly as he stares at the strangers in shock, and out of the corner of his eye Magnus sees Jace lower his Seraph blade incrementally.

Recognizing that neither Nephilim will be capable of full motor skills, he clears his throat. The two boys immediately look over to him, eyes widening. “Papa?”

And.

Okay.

Now Magnus is also at a loss for words. He hears them begin to bicker again, catching the things like ‘Dad’ and ‘Papa’ and ‘grounded for eternity’ thrown around a few more times and he feebly tries to get a hold of the mixed emotions pooling in his chest, but he is still incredibly weary of the intruders.

He risks a glance at Alec. There is curiosity and wonder on his face as he takes in the scene before him, a disbelieving glint in his eyes. Jace, on the other hand, has a puzzled expression on his face. His eyes flickering back and forth between the boys, Magnus, and Alec, at last sheathing his Seraph Blade.

“Does that make me your Uncle?” He asks, the unfamiliar word rolling off his tongue strangely. It causes a pang in Magnus’ chest, and he waits with baited breath for an answer that should be impossible.

The two boys exchange a look, seemingly communicating through a variety of eyebrow raises and glares before turning back to face them.  
“Yes. You are our Uncle Jace, although you are a lot younger than the one we know.” The taller boy says, eyebrows furrowed as he awaits the reaction of his ‘Dad’.

Alec is frozen in place, expression now unreadable, but he does drop his bow completely and takes a cautious step forward.

“What-“ He licks his lips, fingers tapping nervously against his upper thigh, “What are your names?”

Magnus is still holding his breath, aching to reach out and hold Alec in his arms as they prepare to meet their apparent children for the first time.

“I’m Max, and that’s Rafael,” The blue Warlock, Max, says with a bright smile. “You guys adopted us, obviously, but, yeah. You’re our parents. Nice to, uh, meet you?”

It’s a testament to Magnus’ emotional willpower that he doesn’t immediately break down crying. It’s like something out of a dream, a wish he harbored in secret despite knowing it would never come true.

A family.

Magnus has a family.

With Alec.

Magnus and Alec will have a family in the future.

A sniffle from his right breaks him out of his inner turmoil, and a small part of his heart breaks as he watches a few tears escape Alec’s eyes and slide down his face. Magnus moves closer, resting a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder before slowly sliding his hand down all the way to Alec’s palm, holding his lover’s hand in his own. He knows precisely how Alec is feeling, and while normally Magnus is fantastic with words, they are failing him right now. He cannot explain the hope that is fluttering around inside of him, nor can he formulate sentences that accurately convey how it feels.

From the corner of his eye he sees Jace wipe some suspicious moisture from the corner of his eyes, but he leaves it be. Jace obviously knows just how important family is to Alexander. In fact, Magnus is willing to go out on a limb and say that Jace was most likely the first person Alec talked to regarding his fear of never having kids ever since he came out as a gay Shadowhunter. Magnus and Alec have discussed it extensively, but he knows that Alec must have at least told one of his siblings about it. Judging by the way Jace is clutching at his flank where his Parabatai rune is located, Magnus knows his hypothesis is correct.

A clearing of a throat draws his attention away from Jace and Alec, and Magnus turns to look at his sons, studying them in a new light.  
“I’m not exactly sure how much we’re allowed to tell you...” Rafael scratched the back of his neck while shuffling his feet, a habit he had picked up on form Alec, no doubt.

Max nodded. “Yeah, Papa said that if we ever managed to permeate time and space that we were to handle it with the upmost caution.” The boy’s voice changed as he presumably mimicked the words Magnus has yet to share with him.  
From his right he can hear Jace snort at the poor impression of Magnus’ voice. Meanwhile, Alec continues to gawk at their futures sons, his mind whirling a mile a minute. Eventually, Magnus decides the staring is too unnerving for the boys, so he claps his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

“Why don’t we take this discussion to the loft then?”

 

•••

 

When they’d arrived, Jace had quietly dismissed himself toward a guest bedroom, presumably deciding that while he would remain within the perimeters, it was a conversation not meant for his ears (not matter how much it looked like he wanted to join.)  
For that, Magnus was immensely grateful. He didn’t know if his heart would have been able to deal with both Jace and his apparent children from the future.

“So this is what it looked like before you had us, huh?” Max murmurs as he takes a brief look around the loft.

Magnus puts a hand to his chest in faux outage (and very real concern for his future abode). “And what, young man, is that supposed to mean?”

Max positively beams, and Magnus has the feeling that this back and forth is a common occurrence for them. Regardless, he summons a leather couch behind the boys, pulling it forward until it forced them both to sit down while he and Alec reside on the loveseat across from them. Judging by the lack of surprise, Magnus wondered if this was yet another common family. (He wouldn’t mind if it was.)

“Oh, it’s still sophisticated and elegant and gaudy, it just isn’t as...lived in as it is in our time.” Max replies.

Magnus takes note of Max’s virtually unnoticeable wince, and is torn. On one hand, he is incredibly worried about what his home—what their fantastic home will look like. On the other, the reaction is such an Alec thing to do that his heart melts a little.

His mind immediately flashes back to one of his and Alec’s first nights in the loft. It’d been approximately three days since Alec had moved in and...

//

_Magnus was taking his time in removing the makeup from his eyes, gently wiping the glittering eyeshadow off his eyelids when he heard the sound of glass shattering. In an instant, his hands were were engulfed with the blue hue of his magic, tinged a slight red with the amount of fear coursing through him._

_Someone might be in their home._

_Alexander could be hurt._

_Alec had been in the kitchen prior to the cacophony, washing the dishes by hand despite Magnus’ protests ('because it’s relaxing, Magnus') and he knew Alec was by no means clumsy, meaning the noise he had heard must’ve been a part of a larger, more dangerous issue._

_That, of course, was all proven incorrect as he came running into the kitchen only to find Chairman Meow perched on top of a barstool while Alec appeared to be furiously picking up the remnants of a plate while cursing under his breath._

_Letting out a sigh of relief, Magnus calmed his magic. With the snap of his fingers, the floor was clean, the plate was fully intact on the counter, and Alec was looking incredibly embarrassed at being caught. The younger man quickly stood upright, hiss posture unnecessarily tense._

_Magnus walked over, resting a hand on Alec’s left bicep, trying to reassure the Nephilim who was being particularly fidgety._

_“Darling, what happened?” Magnus asked softly, pressing a light kiss onto Alec’s collarbone._

_Stammering, Alec spluttered, “What makes you think something happened?”_

_Magnus arched an eyebrow. ”You were picking shards of my good China plate off of the floor.”_

_Alec hesitated before responding._

_“Chairman Meow somehow climbed onto the barstool and it took me...by surprise," Alec admitted, wincing as he did so._

_“Is that so?” Magnus’ tone implying how unbelievable he found the statement. His suspicions were confirmed as Alec continued to avoid eye contact._

_“Mmmhmm. Yeah. That’s uh...that is exactly what I said.” Alec responded._

_“Alec, we both know you’re lying, out with it. I promise I won’t judge you. You should know me better by now.” Besides, whatever it was, it couldn’t be that bad. Hell, maybe he just dropped the goddamn plate and was too humiliated to admit it it loud. (Magnus found this idea incredibly adorable. His big, brave Shadowhunter afraid to confess to having dropped a plate.)_

_Alec cleared his throat, licking his lips before responding._

_“It’s just, it really hit me. I’m living here—with you—and we get to be together.”_

_Alec paused._

_Magnus waited._

_He knew his lover was not finished speaking yet and merely needed time to collect his thoughts._

_“We eat dinner together and share a bed and I have all of my clothes in your closet, and...it’s all real. I really get to have all of this, with you. And I never thought I’d get to.”_

_Alec looked to be trying to find the appropriate words, so Magnus waited patiently, playing with Alec’s fingers in attempt to comfort the man in front of him._

_“I don’t know, it’s probably stupid, but... I just remember my sixteen year old self out on patrol and seeing these two men—a couple—walking home to their apartment, holding hands, and laughing. And thinking, I’ll never get to have that.” Alec’s eyes were shining with unshed tears, a small smile on his face now as he reached his hand up to cup Magnus’ jaw._

_“But, I do get to have that. I have it now, with you, and I’m just so happy that sometimes it knocks the wind out of me, Magnus. You make me so happy.”_

_“You make me happy too, Alexander,” Magnus chokes out, barely holding back his tears._

//

Breaking out of his stupor, Magnus clears his throat, desperately willing the tears that had begun to pool in his eyes to retreat. Obviously, he wasn’t as subtle as he had intended to be, as Alec quickly squeezed his hand, offering his support for whatever was going through Magnus’ mind.

Rafael and Max, on the other hand, looked absolutely horrified, the younger one’s blue face full of anxiety. “Papa? Are you crying? I promise the loft isn’t that bad in the future. In fact, when Max and I get home we promise to clean it up. Just, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. It always makes Dad sad.”

Magnus let out a wet chuckle, because, of course the boys—their sons—would know that Alec was always tremendously upset whenever he saw Magnus cry.

“It’s nothing to be concerned about, Max. I just, can’t believe that we all get to have this in the future. A home.” Magnus’ eyes darted to Alec’s, checking to see if he understood the reference. By the abrupt inhale and soft look in his eyes, Magnus assumes he’d remembered. That, and the hard squeeze of their linked hands were answer enough.

Magnus could tell the boys weren’t reassured, and went to explain himself, but before he could open his mouth, Alec was already placating them.  
“You have to understand that this—” he gestured to the two young boys opposite of them and then back toward himself and Magnus— “this is something we never though we could have. I don’t know how much future Magnus and future Alec have told you, but we thought kids weren’t an option for us.” Alec looked at Magnus, who nodded encouragingly.

“Future me will be pissed if he knew I was telling you this, but I’ve always wanted a family. One of the biggest aches I dealt with when I realized I liked men was that I would never be able to experience being a father. On the rare nights I dared to let myself dream of a future in which I could be happy, there were never small footsteps running around the imaginary house. There was never a baby crying in the background. It was just me and a faceless man spending a lazy day in a faraway house where the Clave couldn’t get to me,” Alec murmured.

There was a far-away look in Alec’s eyes that Magnus had only witnessed on one or two occasions, and while it unnerved him, he knew that it was a necessary coping mechanism for Alec to get everything out in the open as quick as possible, lest he lose his courage.

“I knew that if I ever ended up with a male partner, we would never be approved for adoption. Even straight couples within the Nephilim community have excruciating trials when trying to adopt. What would it be like for two men seeking to raise a child?” Alec said, laughing bitterly. “And, I knew that we couldn’t have our own biological kids, obviously, but even a surrogate was out of the question. It’d draw to much attention from the Clave or other homophonic and bigoted Nephilim.”

Alec turned his gaze toward Magnus, eyes full of love.

“And then I met Magnus and he was so good to me, so perfect, that I convinced myself I didn’t need kids in order to be happy. Magnus and I could be our own small family. We had talked extensively about wanting kids, knowing it’d never be a reality for us, and we had accepted it. So to know you two are in our lives in the future...just know that you are both so desperately wanted, even now when your Papa and I have barely regained our footing from the Mortal War. We want you, and we have wanted you for a long time. So long that we wanted you before we even knew each other.”

Alec wiped a tear from his eye before continuing, “I thought I had made my peace with it. That we both had, but seeing you here, all I want to do is wrap you both up in my arms and never let you go.”

By the end of his speech, both Rafael and Max were sniffling, and Alec was openly crying, tears sliding down his porcelain cheeks.

“You can,” Rafael said wetly, meeting Alec’s gaze, unwavering determination in his eyes.

“Can what?” Alec asked, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his tattered black sweater (because some things never change, Alec’s wardrobe being one of them). Magnus summoned a handkerchief for him, smiling at Alec’s nod of thanks. He then snapped his fingers, placing a box of tissues between the leather couch, between both the boys. They wasted no time in whipping their tears, a sight that was equal parts painful and adorable to him.

“Hold us. Hug us. You said you wanted to, and you can. You’re our Dad and Papa. Maybe not yet, not here in this time, but you are in the future, so if you want to have a family hug, you can.” Rafael responded, Max nodding in agreement.

Within seconds, both he and Alec were tentatively wrapping their arms around the boys.

Their boys.

 

•••

 

It had been five hours since Magnus and Alec first held their sons in their arms. After their first initial hug, the boys had been incessant on getting to know their ‘Papa and Dad back in their youth’ and Magnus and Alec were all too happy to agree. The four of them talked extensively about how Magnus and Alec met, how their year was going, and where they were in their timeframe. In turn, the boys shared small anecdotes of them in the future, even including some small stories about Isabelle and Jace, the latter of whom had reappeared from the guest bedroom, desperate to spend time with his future nephews.

While Alec had wanted to call Isabelle over immediately and introduce her to the boys, both Max and Rafael had reminded him that the less people that knew of their existence, the safer their family would be. Alec reluctantly agreed after Magnus reminded him that exposing Isabelle to her future nephews could negatively impact the life she would have with them in the future.

( Alec had originally argued that Jace had already seen them, so there was no true harm in introducing Isabelle, to which Rafael pointed out, “Well, we aren’t exactly sure what our visit has done to Uncle Jace. I guess we will find out when we get home.”

Jace had looked terrified, Rafael had been quaking with silent laughter, and Alec had quickly dropped the subject. )

A few minutes later and the time for jokes was over. Magnus and Alec reluctantly began searching for a way to send their boys home, Jace heading back to the Institute to see if he could dig up any files on time travel. Alec, Rafael, Max and Magnus poured over his (impressive) collection of books and spells, unsuccessful in their endeavor to find a spell powerful (and safe) enough to send Max and Rafael back to their time.  
Magnus was beginning to get a migraine, and he could see the worry bleeding into the boys’ faces as time ticked on without any semblance of a solution.

“I’ve got it!” Alec shouts from the study. Max and Rafael’s expressions were the epitome of hopeful as they walked back with Magnus to find Alec pacing around the room, books upon books scattered around his feet.

“What did you find?”

“How did you figure it out?”

Rafael and Max asked at the same time, shooting glares at each other at having been jinxed, cursing lowly at each other before Alec reprimanded them for their language, something he had been doing ever since he'd heard Max tell him that he was a 'fucking badass' in the future. (Alec had secretly beamed at the praise, but that was besides the point. He was in full father mode now.)

“I was reading the journals you and Henry Branwell made when you created the portal,” Alec said to him, holding up a small moleskin journal full of Magnus’ calligraphy, “and about how the portal needs your thoughts to be focused in order to send you to your destination.”

Magnus nodded, following along but not quite sure why the basics of portaling were so important to Alexander.

“You said you and Rafael were running late, right?” Alec asked Max. When Max nodded, Alec continued. “So you must have been thinking about getting to training on time, or maybe even early.”

And suddenly, it clicked.

“Their desire to not be late led to them falling into the present.”

Alec nodded while Max murmured a low ‘fascinating’ causing Magnus to chuckle under his breath.

“One of the last things Henry wrote was that you focus solely on the destination, not the time of year or the weather, just the physical location. I think if you were to picture Central Park in the summer when it was actually wintertime, there’s a very real chance that it could impact what time the portal sends you to. It's one of the first things Shadowhunters learn about the Portal; clear your mind of everything except the coordinates of your destination.”

“So we need to think about our Institute and how we want to arrive to training late?” Rafael asked dubiously.

“Precisely,” Magnus answered. Max seemed to mull the idea over in his head before nodding, turning to address Rafael.

“Okay let’s be late to training. We want Dad to get mad at our tardiness and we want Uncle Jace to tease Dad for getting upset with our lack of punctuality,” Rafael said. Max rolled his eyes at Rafael’s rationalization, but opened a portal, nonetheless.

Before they could step through it though, Magnus spoke up.

“How will we know you’ve made it back safely?” It was the question that had been bugging him ever since they set out to send them back. His heart clenched painfully at the idea that his boys could potentially lose themselves in time and space.

Max closed the portal, eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the room for...something and his eyes landed on the stele poking out of Rafael’s jacket pocket

“We’re going to leave that—“ he gestured to the stele that he had taken from his brother’s pocket and placed on Magnus’ desk, “—and when we get back to our time, we will have Papa summon it back for us.” Rafael looked ready to protest, but stopped after seeing the pleading look on Max’s face.

“I can do that in the future? Summon things from the past?” Magnus asked in bewilderment. It would be quite a revolutionary ability to have.

“Yeah. We can’t go into too much detail, but you and Dad are a pretty powerful couple in the future. You’re always going on about how ‘Love is the strongest force on the planet’ and whatnot. It’s normally kind of annoying, but I miss it a little bit right now,” Rafael said, feet shuffling back and forth in the hardwood floor while Alec hid a grin behind his hand.

“I must be quite the sap in the future.”

“Yup.”

Magnus sighed good-naturedly, pulling Alec to his side as Max get again opened a portal. He and Rafael hugged Magnus and Alec one last time, each whispering a quite ‘love you’, disappearing into the portal before either Alec or Magnus could respond.

They stood frozen in the center of Magnus’ study, anxiously eyeing the stele that had been left behind, the only proof that what had transpired today was real. Magnus dropped into the office chair, pulling Alec onto his lap as they waited with baited breath for confirmation that their kids had made it home to their future selves safe and sound.

After three agonizing minutes of silence, the stele disappeared in a puff of blue, the exact color of Magnus’ magic.

Alec let out a sigh of relief, before slumping against Magnus, exhausted and drained from the stress. Magnus was still too stunned by his future powers (and the relief that Max and Rafael had made it home in one piece) to do anything other than hold Alec close, digesting the information regarding their future together.

Sitting in silence for a few minutes, Magnus finally takes in the gravity of the situation.

“We are going to have kids,” Magnus whispers into Alec’s ear, causing the latter to shiver.

“We are,” Alec replied, kissing up Magnus’ jawline.

“Want to practice making some babies?” Magnus asked playfully, smiling at Alec’s (beautifully) surprised laughter.

It was music to his ears...

“Yes.”

...as was Alec’s answer.


	2. malec in the present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and Rafeal return to the present and have some serious explaining to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few people requested a part two to the story, wanting to know how Dad!Magnus and Dad!Alec would react!
> 
> here’s the (short) chapter delivering just that :)
> 
> ATTENTION: This time travel plot is based off of the “Time Travel Without Consequences Theory”

If Max thought stepping into the portal that may or may not take them back to their correct, present time period, facing a worried Dad was even worse. 

They had arrived in the Institute, only to find the training room completely empty. When Rafael has suggested they head over to Dad’s office, they didn’t even make it seven steps down the corridor before an older Shadowhunter stepped in front of them, keeping them their until he had managed to send off a fire message. 

“What’s going on?” Max asked, confused as to why this woman—Amelia, he thinks—won’t let them find their Dad, even after explaining that it was an urgent matter. 

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Max saw his Papa storming down the hallway way, having opened the doors (dramatically) with a wave of his blue magic. Dad was right behind him, his lips pursed in concern and eyebrows furrowed as his eyes quickly scanned both of them for injuries. 

Of course, Papa decided that their return required a magical scan to double check for any injuries or illnesses. It was at that moment that Amelia quietly headed back to her post down the corridor. Max watched her disappear from sight, inhaling deeply to prepare himself for whatever conversation they were about to have. 

“Blueberry! Rafe! Where have you been? Your father has sent out half of the Institute to find you and I’ve been bothering poor Aunt Catarina to assist me in tracking you.” Papa said sternly, but his concern and urge to wrap them up into his arms must have overpowered him, because now Max and Rafael were trapped in between one of their parents’ infamous bone breaking hugs. 

After a moment of what Dad liked to refer to as family bonding, Rafael and Max were back to being reprimanded and interrogated. 

“Where have you been? I called Papa when you hadn’t arrived after a half hour, and when his magic searched for you, he’d found that you were no longer on this Earth. He’d felt you leave the realm.” Dad looked so worried that Max felt shame pool in his stomach, and he cursed himself for putting his parents in this position. They had truly scarred Papa and Dad. 

“I may have accidentally time traveled us to the past?” Max mumbled, his voice pitching up at the end as if asking a question. 

Papa abruptly stood up. “Oh? Well, I can tell that this conversation will require a more private environment. Preferably somewhere we can all get comfortable while we discuss just how dangerous time travel is. Especially for young Warlocks and newly trained Shadowhunters.” He gave them both a pointed look. 

“Wait! You need to summon Rafe’s stele. It’s how we signal your younger selves that we got back safely,” Max yelled. 

Papa raised an eyebrow. “And where exactly would Rafael’s only way of protecting and healing himself be?”

Max winced. “On the edge of your desk in your loft roughly 20 years ago”

It seemed to calm Papa down slightly, knowing that he and Rafe were in a familiar, if not bizarre, environment in the past. Afterall, if Papa trusted anyone, it was himself and Dad. 

He closed his eyes in concentration, and within seconds, Rafael was holding his stele again. Dad purses his lips and abruptly turned toward his office, nodding his head for everyone else to follow. 

• • •

“And that’s how they—I mean, you guys—figured out how to get us back here,” Rafael finished with a small shrug of his shoulders. 

It was eerily silent for a moment as they awaited their parents’ reactions. Dad was the first to break it. 

“You two have no idea how worried we have been, especially considering the recent uptake season in Seelie portals opening. You could’ve at least called us!” He ran a hand through his (already) messy hair, relaxing only slightly when Papa wrapped an arm around his waist. 

Max still felt guilty at having worried them so badly, but at Dad’s comment he rolled his eyes.

“How exactly were we supposed to call? We hadn’t even been born yet in that year!” He said in exasperation. 

“Alexander, he’s right. Communication between different time periods is statistically impossible. Although...” Papa tilted his head to the side, twiddling one of the many rings on his right hand as he stared at him and Rafael. 

“You two have made me question the probability of inter-dimensional communications. You’ve managed to time travel, a feat that was thought to be impossible only just this morning. Who knows? Maybe it would be possible for your phones to transmit the necessary frequency required to reach us, here in the present...” Papa trailed off, stepping away from his spot tucked into Dad’s side. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and stared at it for a moment, causing Max and Rafe to shoot each other confused glances. 

“No, absolutely not Magnus.” Dad said as he leant against his desk. 

“Whatever do you mean, Alexander?” 

Papa was using the face he used when he was pretending to be innocent (like that one time where he helped Max make a cake for Dad’s birthday, only for Papa to accidentally set the oven on fire) and as always, it wasn’t working. 

“We are not sending your phone back so that we can talk to our younger selves. We have no idea how that would affect our relationship, the kids, and our lives in the present,” Dad said with a knowing grin, causing Rafael to let out a small snicker. 

Papa sighed. “I wasn’t going to do that.”

“You were. Just admit it. You, Magnus Bane, were wrong.”

“Is this one of those times where you want me to lie to protect your delicate feelings, Alexander? Because I’m not going to. You, sir, are the one that’s wrong. You’re falsely accusing me for potentially risking everyone’s safety. I would never do such a thing. Preposterous!” Papa said with a scoff, though he pocketed the phone and tucked himself into Dad’s side once again. 

Max rolled his eyes and walked over to where his Dad stood, shaking his head in reluctant amusement at Papa’s actions. 

“Does this mean we are forgiven?” Max asked in a small voice. 

“We promise to never do it again!” Rafael piped up from his position in Dad’s office chair. 

Dad snorted, but shot them both a (relieved) smile. “You are forgiven. Now go find your Aunts and Uncles. They’ve been worried sick and they just got back from their patrols.” 

Max nodded and Rafael gave a joking salute, as he headed to the hallway. Just before Max could close the door to his Dad’s office, he heard: 

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think it’d be if—“

“At least a twenty, Magnus.”

With the roll of his eyes and a small chuckle, Max shut it behind him, jogging to catch up to Rafe. 

Their dads may be weird, but they were the best they could’ve asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed! if you liked this and wanna show your appreciation, [buy me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/B0B6EDIJ)
> 
> kudos are appreciated. Comments are worshipped. Bookmarks are smiled upon.
> 
> *requests & prompts for fics are still open! leave them in the comments below!*

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed!
> 
> kudos are appreciated. Comments are worshipped. Bookmarks are smiled upon.


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